12 posts from March 2013

As high as Charlie Manuel was on Darin Ruf last season and coming into spring training, it's hard to imagine him making the team if he keeps playing the way he has so far this spring.

After a monstrous year with Double-A Reading (38 home runs in the regular season and one in the playoffs) and then impressive late-season stats with the Phillies (11-for-33, three home runs, 10 RBIs), the organization headed to Clearwater, Fla., with the hopes of him starting the 2013 campaign on the 25-man roster.

It's only March 6, so that's not out of the question yet.

But so far, he's done little to convince anyone that he belongs in the big leagues on April 1.

In eight games, he's just 3-for-23 (.130) with six strikeouts and only two walks. He has just one extra-base hit (a double), three RBIs and get this...has been hit by as many pitches (3) as he has hits.

The reports out of Clearwater are that he's misplayed several balls in left field, including one in Tuesday's exhibition game against the Dominican Republic that turned into a ground-rule double.

You have to think he's pressing. He's 26 years old, is trying to transition from first base to left field and would much rather find his name on Manuel's Opening Day roster than on Dave Brundage's at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

"Whether he makes our club or not, that remains to be seen," GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told The Inquirer's Matt Gelb. "He's going to have to play better than he's playing now to be on our major-league roster. There are a lot of things going on with him. We're throwing a lot of stuff at him. With some time, hopefully he'll start to relax and play the way we know he can play. He's still learning."

Don't be surprised if some of that learning comes at Coca-Cola Park and not Citizens Bank Park---at least in the early going. He still has plenty of options left, unlike John Mayberry Jr., who is out of options.

Want something to feel good about when it comes to the Phillies' spring training numbers?

Take a look at what Ryan Howard has done this year compared to other years.

In 24 at-bats, the Phillies clean-up hitter has 3 home runs, giving him a home run every 8.0 at-bats.

Compare that to the 2011 spring training (remember he missed all of Grapefruit League play last year because of his Achilles). That spring, Howard hit five home runs in 72 at-bats, meaning he homered every 14.4 at-bats.

During 2006, what would become his MVP season when he hit 58 home runs, Howard hit 11 home runs in 85 at-bats during Grapefruit League play, giving him a home run every 7.7 at-bats.

And he already has 10 RBIs in nine games. In 2011, he had 14 RBIs in 26 games. And his at-bats per strikeout have gone down, too. So far this spring, he's fanned six times in 24 at-bats (4.0 average). Two years ago, he struck out 16 times in 72 at-bats (4.5 average).

I know it's early. I know hitters are always ahead of pitchers during spring training, especially at this point.